


Setting Life Straight

by StarsInTheRain



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dark, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Inspired by Integration Universe, Kidnapping, M/M, Mandalorian Culture, Manipulation, Slow Burn, Stockholm Syndrome
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:28:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24987586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarsInTheRain/pseuds/StarsInTheRain
Summary: Set in the Integration Universe, where Obi-Wan has just been captured by the Mandalorian Empire. However, not everything is what Obi-Wan expected. He expected to be tortured. He expected to be killed. He did not expect to wake up in the nicest prison cell he had ever seen, and he certainly did not expect to be greeted by his padawan, who he thought was dead.
Relationships: Jango Fett & Anakin Skywalker, Jango Fett/Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 58
Kudos: 338
Collections: Integration: The Collection





	1. Everything Is Going To Be Alright

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Millberry_5](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Millberry_5/gifts), [steampunkunicorn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/steampunkunicorn/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Living Sideways](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24953950) by [steampunkunicorn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/steampunkunicorn/pseuds/steampunkunicorn). 
  * Inspired by [Integration](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11920878) by [Millberry_5](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Millberry_5/pseuds/Millberry_5). 



> This is an au of Millberry_5's Integration, so if you haven't read that, you will be confused. However, this is set in the same universe, and specifically right after steampunkunicorn's Living Sideways. Read that first. Reading that, I was immediately inspired by it, and just had to write. I hope I do it justice.

As Anakin walked out of the force-sensitive initiates’ hall, he was already deep in thought. After all these years, he was finally reunited with his _jetti buir_ , his Obi-Wan. It had been hard, with numerous near-misses, where Obi-Wan had escaped the battlefield mere moments before Anakin or his other _buir_ had gotten onto the battlefield during their campaigns. When the information reached them that Obi-Wan was escorting the Senator of Naboo on a diplomatic mission, of all things, Anakin had the scarcest feeling of hope. When his other _buir_ was able to intercept the ship Obi-Wan was travelling on, Anakin was ecstatic. After all this time, Obi-Wan would be with him. Obi-Wan is in an integration program. He’ll see the truth, and Anakin will have his family with him.

But for now, Obi-Wan would need to integrate, and he needed the scrutiny that came with the program he is in. Seeing Obi-Wan in the integration program, and on Manda’yaim, was better than he dreamed of. While Obi-Wan had grown a beard, his face was exactly as he had remembered it, with its youthful glow shining through. Obi-Wan was still as thoughtful, as clever, and as _Manda_ as he remembered him, if not more. The incident with the Ryloth campaign had proven that.

However, all the fighting had taken its toll on Obi-Wan. Anakin saw his gaunt face, and was certain that the rest of his body was the same, with a sense of weariness Anakin had most certainly not seen on Obi-Wan as a child. The Republic had not taken care of Obi-Wan, regardless of the fact that he was one of their best generals and tacticians. He remembered what Obi-Wan looked like when he didn’t sleep, from his first months as a padawan. Both of them had been rocked by nightmares of Master Qui-Gon’s death, and both of them had sought comfort in each other during those times, no matter how much Obi-Wan had tried to hide it. Those first months had formed a strong bond between him and Obi-Wan, and it only grew during Anakin’s years as a padawan, only stopping when Anakin was rescued by the Mandalorians, and adopted by his other _buir_ soon after.

The lack of proper sleep would most certainly be remedied, as Obi-Wan would have plenty of time to sleep, meditate, and relax as he integrated. He would thrive, and soon he would flourish in their care, as Anakin once did as a foundling. He would adjust, but it would take time, and everything would be okay.

It wouldn’t be easy, that was for sure. Obi-Wan would definitely chafe, and struggle against integration. And perhaps he would attempt to escape a few times, but however he resisted, his integration would still be inevitable. Just as Anakin’s integration had been inevitable. Anakin remembered his first months as a foundling, and how confused and angry he had been. He also remembered his reaction to the sudden change in environment, and the loss of Obi-Wan clear as the sky after a snowstorm on Manda’yaim.

* * *

_Anakin was floating. Until he wasn’t. His head seemed to be full of cotton, and he still felt so tired. Why did he feel so tired? He opened his eyes, and his fear grew as his eyes focused. He was in an unfamiliar room, that while feeling warm, also held an air of sterility. He wasn’t in his room in the Jedi Temple, nor was he in the quarters of the ship he and Obi-Wan had been on. The mission. He closed his eyes as it all rushed back to him._

_Him and Obi-Wan had been escorting the tail end of a caravan of refugees. It was his first real mission as a padawan, and the first mission he and Obi-Wan had taken since the fiasco on Naboo, and the death of Master Qui-Gon. While he had been able to shoot down some of their Mandalorian pursuers, his ship had still been caught in a tractor beam and boarded. He had thought he was going to die at the hands of the Mandalorians, but instead he had been held down and injected with a hypospray after a brief fight with the Mandalorian commandos. Regardless of ability, Anakin, as an eleven year old padawan, stood no chance against a group of Mandalorian commandos._

_He only realized then that he had been separated from Obi-Wan. Master Obi-Wan, who had been so broken by the death of Master Qui-Gon, would be destroyed by this. Anakin reached out in the Force, and he knew that wherever he was, was far away, so far away, from Obi-Wan. At that, his anger grew, because how dare they take him away from Obi-Wan, how dare they attack those refugees, how dare he be so weak to let them get him, and how dare he hurt Obi-Wan like this. At that realization, Anakin burst into tears, because what was he going to do? He had never been separated from Obi-Wan outside the Jedi Temple, and judging by his state after Master Qui-Gon’s death, he would be broken even more by this. As tears fell around him, Anakin didn’t notice the door open and admit two people._

_The first, a Togruta woman, rushed forward to hug him. Her hug, while warm, didn’t feel as nice as Obi-Wan’s hugs were. She shushed and soothed him, and he curled into himself as he was hugged by this unfamiliar individual. Finally, she pulled back, and Anakin got a good glance at her face, which was as warm as the crèche masters at the Jedi Temple, but was clearly a Mandalorian._

_“Feeling better ad’ika?” she said affectionately. Anakin, through tears, glared up at her._

_“I don’t want you, I want to go home,” he demanded. Instead of fear, or anger, he only felt amusement radiate from her. At that, his anger grew, and he pushed her away. At that, she backed away, and off his bed, but was still watching him warmly. He still felt warmth radiating from her._

_Suddenly, his attention was turned to the door, where he saw another person, in armor. The armor was blue and silver, and he was suddenly pulled back to his capture, where he had been held down by that same person. They walked forward, and pulled off their helmet to reveal a human man, with olive skin and black hair, similar to some of the people he had been escorting. Setting his helmet down, he walked closer to Anakin, and sat down where the togruta woman had been. And at that, the togruta woman left, and he was all alone with the man who had captured him, and ripped him from his home, from his Obi-Wan._

* * *

His other _buir_ , Jango Fett, the Mand’alor, led the Mandalorian Empire. He had also adopted Anakin, and helped him integrate, and was an integral part of his life, and when he was still an ad’ika. His other _buir_ helped him grow into who he was, and was there to watch Anakin become a commando, a pilot, a teacher, and most importantly a good leader.

Primarily, Anakin was a commando and a pilot. He had already led several successful campaigns against the Republic, against the Sith, and against the Hutts. He fought for the Mandalorian Empire, and grew into a brilliant tactician with a penchant for suicide missions. Those particular missions did not make his _buir_ happy. For obvious reasons.

His favorite campaigns, and indeed his best campaigns, were the ones against the Hutts. The Hutt Council was slowly but surely losing territory to the Mandalorian Empire, and with that, he was fulfilling his promise to free the slaves. Tatooine, one of his first campaigns, was a testament to his promise, and him keeping that promise. With the Mandalorian Empire in charge of Tatooine, the slavers and slave owners had been put in prison, or executed, depending on how egregious their offenses were. Slavery, after all, was illegal in the Mandalorian Empire and they actually enforced that.

But freeing slaves wasn’t his most rewarding job. As a Force-sensitive with training, he was in a unique position to help others around him, as he could teach force-sensitive children to control their powers so that it wouldn’t hurt them, and teach older individuals to harness their powers into a usable weapon, or something that just helped them in their daily lives.

Most of all, he loved teaching young children how to use the Force. It reminded him of the good in the galaxy, and their bright presences in the force usually relaxed him. All in all, everything about teaching made him content. Their excitement to learn new things, along with their curiosity, and imaginations were simply amazing, and watching them grow and nurturing them was something that Anakin would gladly do. Much like how Obi-Wan was with him as a child.

Getting the information about Obi-Wan escorting the Senator of Naboo on a diplomatic mission had been the break they had been waiting for. He suspected the _Jettise_ were ordered to retreat whenever Mandalorian supercommandos, or _ori’ramikad_ as they were known here, to prevent their capture or deaths. That had not only made it harder for them to capture Obi-Wan when they did clash with the _Jettise_ , but also made gathering information about Obi-Wan difficult. They could only rely on public reports made by the Republic, video footage of Obi-Wan, or information from less . . . scrupulous individuals.

According to that information, Obi-Wan did fight the Mandalorian Empire, but he rarely directly fought them during their campaigns. That was also corroborated by the Republic reports made available to the public, which their agents relayed back to Keldabe. There were some reports of Obi-Wan fighting against the Hutts, which made Anakin happy, in a strange sort of way, but also worried him. While Obi-Wan, and the Republic, were a good diversion for his campaigns involving the Hutts, the Hutts were dangerous. Arguably more dangerous than fighting the Mandalorian Empire, as they behaved like the Sith, but rather than having the use of the Force, they were just plain violent, and had no regard for the life around them.

With the scarce footage provided to them by their agents, it became clear that while Obi-Wan was scoring great victories against the Sith, it was coming at an expense. It was reported that he rarely ate and slept, and was becoming more and more overworked. Still, he fought against his enemies with a vengeance that was almost _Manda_ , with Obi-Wan fighting in memory of Master Qui-Gon, and likely Anakin, since he believed that Anakin had been killed by the Mandalorians, or at the very least a captive. That was made evident by how Obi-Wan had looked at Anakin when he first saw Anakin.

Judging by the camera footage brought to his other _buir_ , Obi-Wan had primarily been fighting and winning battles against the Sith and the Hutts.. Without backup. Obi-Wan had been putting himself in danger so much, and for little reward. While he was an accomplished General, he was not omnipotent. He needed to take care of himself. When Anakin first saw Obi-Wan, he couldn’t believe how bad things had gotten. Seeing Obi-Wan on camera footage smuggled to him and his other _buir_ was one thing, but seeing the culmination of those years on Obi-Wan in person was horrifying. The footage had clearly been unable to capture the true extent of Obi-Wan’s state.

He clearly didn’t know, or care, about taking care of himself. That could, and would be remedied by Anakin and his other _buir_. Integrating would help him with that. They would take care of him, and help him realize how valuable he was, and how much he cared about him.

Finally reaching his other _buir_ ’s quarters, Anakin knocked quickly, before walking in. His impatience was out in full force, although it seemed quite reasonable considering the situation. He had only just sat down, when the door opened again, and his other _buir_ walked in, in a similar fashion to Anakin, but calculatingly.

“So, how was he,” questioned his other _buir_. He had been too busy to come with Anakin, as he had to deal with the fallout of attacking a diplomatic vessel, even though they planned on beginning a campaign against the planet the Senator came from. 

“He’s confused. He wants to go back to the _Jettise_. Even though he looks so bad. I’ve never seen him look this bad. He looks like he hadn’t slept well for months, and he’s thinner than I remember,” explained Anakin.

“ _Dar’baati,_ we can take care of that,” reassured Jango. “Just as we taught you, and helped you, we can do the same with Obi-Wan. It will take time, but he will learn. Just as you did. Remember when you first joined us?”

“I get it,” replied Anakin. “But I wasn’t so . . . self-destructive. How are we supposed to help him integrate when he won’t take care of himself. He will try to escape, he wanted me to help him escape.”

“Then we will increase scrutiny while he integrates. But he will integrate,” said his other _buir_ , with an air of finality. “Either you or I, or both of us, will visit him daily, and spend time with him. That will help him integrate, and we can keep an eye on him that way.”

“ _Elek buir_ ,” agreed Anakin. It was final. They would stay with Obi-Wan, and make sure that his integration went smoothly, or as smoothly as things would go with Obi-Wan. Sensing the conversation had come to an end, Anakin stood up from the couch, and made for the door.

“ _Ret', buir_ ,” said Anakin as he left Jango’s quarters. His quarters were only down the hall from Jango’s quarters, but while the day had had quite a lot of excitement, he did need to finish his lesson plans for his younger class. They would need to learn to control the Force, and that skill was always the hardest, regardless of age.


	2. This Is Your Home Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy crap, the reaction I have gotten to this is just amazing. It makes me want to write more and more, so that's what I did. I hope you all enjoy this new chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!

_ The man waited for the door to close behind the Togruta woman, and turned to look Anakin straight in the eye. While his eyes were as warm and affectionate as the Togruta, there was still something calculating behind it. Anakin tried to scoot away, but the man just grabbed him and held him in place. _

_ “Careful, ad’ika, you’re still recovering from the sedatives,” soothed the man. _

_ “Why do you care,” challenged Anakin. “Shouldn’t you just kill me? I am a Jedi.” At hearing that, the man visibly recoiled, and tightened his grip on Anakin.  _

_ “We will not kill you. Nobody here is a demagolka. We will protect you, and help you. You are a foundling. You are one of us,” said the man, with an air of finality Anakin had never encountered in other beings he met. This man was crazy.  _

_ “I am Jango Fett, he/him/his. For now, call me Jango. What’s your name, ad’ika,” prompted the man.  _

_ “My name is Anakin Skywalker. Also he/him/his,” replied Anakin, after a lengthy pause.  _

_ “Nice to meet you, An’ika,” said Jango. “I know you have a lot of questions, but can you wait until I finish telling you what you need to know?” At that, Anakin slowly nodded.  _

_ “Good,” replied Jango. “You are currently in Keldabe, on Manda’yaim. As a foundling, you will be taken care of, placed with a clan, and attend classes until you have a good foundation of our culture, our language, and our ways. Whether you get placed with a clan before or after that is up to Ka’ra. It will be new, and strange. But, you will learn, and adapt. That is inevitable.” _

_ “But I’m a padawan. I’m a Jedi,” argued Anakin. “I’m not Mandalorian, I’m not a foundling. I need to go back to the Republic. To my Obi-Wan. He’ll be glad I’m alright, but he’s probably worried. I did disappear, and I disappeared on my first mission. I know I did badly, but I need to get back to the Jedi.” _

_ “Oh, An’ika,” sighed Jango. His grip on Anakin suddenly tightened, and Anakin couldn’t help but squirm. “You are an adiik, you never should have been in a fighter to begin with. I am the Mand’alor. I lead the Mandalorian Empire. I fight the Republic for the good of the Mandalorian Empire. I do not fight you. No good Mandalorian would fight children.” _

_ “I’m not a child,” argued Anakin angrily. “I don’t want, or need your sympathy. I need to get back to the Republic.” _

_ “But it will be so much better for you,” cajoled Jango. “You will grow up in peace, learn to fight if you want to, and not be forced into conflicts you know nothing about. You will be taken care of here, far better than those Jedi dogs that take care of you.” _

_ “But I’m not Mandalorian,” shouted Anakin. “My family isn’t Mandalorian, I’m not Mandalorian. Why won’t you understand that?” _

_ At that, Jango got a look on his face. He released Anakin from his hug, and set Anakin down on the ground, allowing for him to steady himself on his feet before Jango fully letting go of him. After waiting a second, Jango looked Anakin straight in the eye, with the calculating look in his eyes only becoming more and more visible.  _

_ “Ni kir’tayl gai sa’ad, Anakin Skywalker,” said Jango firmly. “There, now it’s official. You said that none of your family is Mandalorian, and now you are a part of my family. You are now my ad, meaning you are my son in all but blood.” _

_ “But you’re not my dad,” shouted Anakin, with growing desperation in his voice. “You’re not Obi-Wan, nobody can replace Obi-Wan. I’m not your son, take it back. You are insane, this is insane. You can’t just tell me that I’m your son, and make me stay with you. That’s not how it works.” _

_ “But you are my ad, An’ika. You’re mine now, and I will do anything to protect you,” reassured Jango. “This is a legal adoption, and anyone Mandalorian will recognize you as my son. I know it’s confusing, but you will adjust. This is your home now. Children are resilient, just as you are. Now, you must sleep, and recover. The sedatives still haven’t worn off properly, and you need to heal.” _

_ At that, Jango stood up and lifted Anakin back into the bed. He helped him get situated under the blankets, and tucked him into the bed. He walked outside of the room, but not before he turned the already dimmed lights off. And at that, Anakin was all alone. What just happened? What was he supposed to do? At least he knew why all of this was happening. The man, Jango, was insane. And apparently in charge. Sithspit. _

* * *

Anakin walked down the Force-sensitive initiates’ hallway with a skip in his step. He had gotten permission to take Obi-Wan to get a medical exam, along with some new clothes, ahead of time.  _ Ka’ra  _ knows he needs both of those. Reaching Obi-Wan’s door, he quickly knocked, before opening the door to see Obi-Wan. He was meditating on the bed, although he couldn’t reach out in the force farther than the walls of his rooms. This was meant to contain Force-sensitives, of course. He was pleased to see Obi-Wan using the blanket he had made for him.

Obi-Wan finally stood up, and looked at Anakin for just a second, before turning away from him. Anakin smiled at that, he hadn't changed one bit.

“We’re going on an outing, Master,” announced Anakin. At that, Obi-Wan turned around to look at him. 

“An outing? I don’t suppose we’re going back to the Republic,” said Obi-Wan with dripping sarcasm. Nope, he definitely didn’t change, not one bit.

“Just to get some clothes, and see a  _ baar’ur _ ,” cajoled Anakin. He remembered Obi-Wan’s aversion to healers, and wanted the trip to go as smoothly as possible. “Let’s go, master,” encouraged Anakin. He wasn’t worried about Obi-Wan trying to escape him, as the second Obi-Wan left his room, he was blocked from reaching out to the Force, and could only feel it. Anakin would easily be able to subdue Obi-Wan, although he hoped it wouldn’t have to come to that.

They exited Obi-Wan’s room, and Anakin heard Obi-Wan’s gasp as he realized he was unable to touch the Force. Keeping his grip on Obi-Wan, Anakin led Obi-Wan through the hallways, until they reached the medic’s area. There,  _ Baar’ur  _ Maranis, a human female who had taken care of both him and his other  _ buir _ , was waiting. Tightening his grip on Obi-Wan as they entered, Anakin steered Obi-Wan towards an examination room, ignoring the look of betrayal Obi-Wan sent his way. Obi-Wan had never liked healers, and he certainly wasn’t going to start now. 

“It’s alright, Obi-Wan, this is for your own good,” coaxed Anakin. “You need to be good for  _ Baar’ur  _ Maranis now, she’ll make sure you’re healthy.”

At that, Obi-Wan relaxed into Anakin, and Anakin released his grip on Obi-Wan so that he could hug Obi-Wan instead. At that, Br. Maranis moved forward and began scanning Obi-Wan with a mediscanner, completely disregarding the suspicious look that Obi-Wan was sending her. 

“This is perfectly routine,” she reassured him. “This won’t hurt one bit.”

Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Br. Maranis waited in silence for the mediscanner to finish doing its job. Suddenly, the mediscanner began beeping incessantly. Looking down at the mediscanner, she gasped in horror. Looking at Obi-Wan again, she began studying him again, taking in the condition of his body all over again.

“How are you alive,” she demanded, looking at Obi-Wan.

“Why, what happened to him,” demanded Anakin, fixing Obi-Wan with a firm look.

“I’m healthy,” protested Obi-Wan. At that, both Br. Maranis and Anakin snorted. 

“First off, what I would like to know is what didn’t happen to you,” scolded Br. Maranis. “You are so dangerously underweight, it’s a wonder you haven’t collapsed. Does the Republic not feed one of its best generals?”

“He doesn’t eat very much to begin with,” muttered Anakin. At that, Obi-Wan turned to glare at him, but without any aggression, just a hint of playfulness.

“Like you were any better,” retorted Obi-Wan. At that, Anakin actually smiled. It was just like old times, with Obi-Wan avoiding healers at any cost.

“Well, that’s going to change starting now,” commanded Br. Maranis. “You need to get back up to a healthy weight. You have several vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and your blood sugar is dangerously low.” She handed Obi-Wan an energy bar. “Here, eat this,” she ordered. “This will bring your blood sugar up for now, at least.” At that, Anakin was actually worried. How bad had things gotten since they were separated? It was clear that Anakin had to take care of his  _ jetti buir _ , and he would do just that.

She watched Obi-Wan finish eating most of the energy bar, smiled at Obi-Wan, dipped her head at Anakin, and then walked out of the examination room. After waiting for her to close the door, Anakin turned to look at Obi-Wan with a pained look on his face.

“Why did you do this to yourself, Master,” he asked Obi-Wan. “You were never this bad before.” Obi-Wan looked at Anakin with a mournful gaze, and was about to open his mouth when Br. Maranis knocked. Both Obi-Wan and Anakin straightened up at hearing the knock, and Obi-Wan tensed when she walked back into the examination room.

“So, you definitely need a nutrition plan,” Br. Maranis explained. “You will need to take high doses of vitamins to make up for your deficiencies, and you will need to maintain a strict diet to regain the weight you lost.” She handed Obi-Wan and Anakin datapads, with the complete description and instructions about Obi-Wan’s new diet. “This diet will be high in fat, and calories. You do need to actually finish these meals,” she explained, looking directly at the remaining bit of his energy bar, and then back at Obi-Wan. Inhaling, Obi-Wan opened his mouth to speak.

“I thank you for your concern, but all of this isn’t necessary. I am fine,” insisted Obi-Wan. Fixing Obi-Wan with a hard look, Br. Maranis looked Obi-Wan straight in the eye.

“You need to take care of yourself. I don’t know how the Republic functions, but here, nobody escapes medical exams and medical treatment. If you won’t take care of yourself, we will take care of you. You may not have had a support system while you were with the  _ Jettise _ , but you are a Mandalorian now. We will support you. Also, you are on our vigilance list, for obvious reasons.” She took a deep breath, and began again. “Other than that, you are free to go.” She turned and exited the room, after nodding at Anakin once more. At hearing the door close, Anakin tightened his arms around Obi-Wan. 

“Master, why don’t you let us take care of you. You’re worse off than I thought. What happened to you,” challenged Anakin. “I know you’re not used to taking care of yourself, but you need to learn, and you need to listen to Br. Maranis’ instructions. She only has your best interests in mind.” 

“I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, Anakin,” replied Obi-Wan. “Now where do we go, back to my cell?”

“Not yet,” answered Anakin. “You can’t go on wearing the same clothes every day. We still need to go to the quartermaster’s now, remember?”

They walked to the quartermaster’s in silence. Anakin knows there are a lot of changes for Obi-Wan to be processing, so he lets him be until they reach the quartermaster’s storage. The quartermaster’s storage here was not dissimilar to the one at the Jedi Temple, so he didn’t think it would be particularly overwhelming for Obi-Wan, with one key difference. Jedi robes were hard to come by, as Mandalore as a whole wasn’t exactly sympathetic to the Jedi. Instead, the quartermaster held a variety of Mandalorian clothing, along with a collection of clothes gathered from various missions and campaigns. As they reached the storage area for clothing, Anakin watched Obi-Wan’s eyes widen.

“You need to get three sets of everyday clothes, along with another set of sleep clothes,” explained Anakin. “If you want, I can help you.”

Obi-Wan dug through the bins of clothing, eventually finding a full set of Jedi robes. Anakin smiled, seeing that. Even though his  _ jetti buir  _ was no longer a  _ jetti _ , he was determined to stay one. He was still confused, but that was to be expected. His stubbornness clearly hadn’t escaped him, after all this time.

As soon as he was satisfied that Obi-Wan was busy looking for clothes that he would find familiar, he turned to a different area of the room, where he knew there were more Mandalorian clothes that were made with fabric similar to that of Obi-Wan’s Jedi robes. He knew that from experience. Finding some clothes that were Obi-Wan’s size, Anakin returned to him. 

“These are made with the same fabric, Master. Do you like them,” asked Anakin. Obi-Wan reached out to grab the set of clothes, and nodded after feeling the fabric. Anakin led Obi-Wan to the other clothing with that fabric, after it became apparent that Obi-Wan would not find more Jedi robes amongst the found clothing. Once they were done, Anakin recorded all the clothes on the quartermaster’s log, and led Obi-Wan back to his room.

When they reached Obi-Wan’s room, Obi-Wan set the clothes down onto his bed and turned to face Anakin.

“What happened to you,” he questioned, after a long pause. “We need to escape from here. We need to get back to the Jedi. We are Jedi.”

“We are not Jedi. I have not been a Jedi since I was last with you, and you ceased to be a Jedi the moment you were found,” asserted Anakin.

“Even if we are Mandalorians, I still have a will. I need to escape, I don’t want to be here,” implored Obi-Wan. He was clearly very confused.

“Don’t you understand,” insisted Anakin. “Even if you were to escape, even if I were to help you escape, there is nowhere to go. This is the most intensive integration program on Mandalore, we are used to escape attempts, and they will be foiled. Even if you made it off of Manda’yaim, you would never make it out of the reach of the Mandalorian Empire. I don’t want to lose you. Not again. I love you, Master. You’ve always been the closest thing I have had to a father. I won’t lose you again. Not after all these years of waiting, and not after now.” Upon hearing that, Obi-Wan looked at Anakin with horror displayed clearly on his face.. 

“What happened to you,” he repeated. “What did they do to break you?” Anakin looked at Obi-Wan fondly, with a soft, and almost indulgent look.

“Nothing happened to me,” he replied. “Just as it is mine, this is your home now.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this has gotten dark. Or is it not dark enough? Either way, thanks for reading! 
> 
> Mando'a Translations:  
> Ad - child/son/daughter  
> Ad'ika - little one  
> Adiik - child aged 3-13 years of age  
> An'ika - Little Ani (diminutive suffix, similar to Spanish)  
> Baar'ur - healer (shortened to Br. like doctor is shortened to Dr.)  
> Buir - parent  
> Ka'ra - stars (like the ancient Mandalorian myth)  
> Ni kir’tayl gai sa’ad - Mandalorian adoption ceremony (literally, "I know your name as my child")


	3. Minor Adjustments

_ Anakin didn’t like healers. They always poked and prodded him, and asked him too many questions. Master Obi-Wan didn’t like healers, so neither did he. And yet here he was. In an examination room. With the sleemo who kidnapped him. Who was trying to replace Master Obi-Wan. It would be safe to assume that Anakin wasn’t exactly the most amicable individual. He didn’t want to be amicable, even though Baar’ur Maranis didn’t do anything to him. That was one word in Mando’a Anakin had learned. Baar’ur meant Healer. Either way, Anakin didn’t like healers. _

_ As she wordlessly scanned him, Anakin looked over at Jango through the corner of his eye. The man was watching him intently, as if trying to figure something out. Jango was supervising the visit, as he was Anakin’s buir, so he had to make major decisions regarding Anakin’s health. Finally, Anakin decided to turn around and glared at Jango, who only laughed. Seeing that, Anakin’s hands turned into fists, but he didn’t say anything. _

_ At that moment, the medical scanner beeped, but the results were out of Anakin’s sight. However, they were not out of Jango’s sight, which led to him and Baar’ur Maranis quickly speaking with one another in Mando'a. _

_ “Quit talking about me when I can’t understand you!” Anakin stomped his foot on the ground, making both individuals look at him. _

_ “Do you get enough sleep,” asked Br. Maranis. The blue-haired woman looked at him intently. Anakin swallowed. “It’s important for you to get the necessary amount of sleep, or else your body doesn’t function properly,” she continued. _

_ “I didn’t sleep a lot during the mission,” he admitted. Br. Maranis simply raised an eyebrow.  _

_ “Alright, I don’t sleep as much as I should be,” conceded Anakin. “But most of the time, I either can’t sleep or have bad nightmares. I mean, it’s fine. I spent the first seven years of my life as a slave, until the Jedi freed me, so I'm a lot healthier than I used to be. That’s why this was my first mission.” At saying that, Anakin’s face fell. He was telling this to his kidnapper. This was so wrong. Yet it was happening. Though the twin looks of horror on both of the adults’ faces was pretty satisfying. When Jango regained his composure, he said something to Br. Maranis in a curt tone, pulled out his com, and stepped outside the examination room, leaving Br. Maranis alone with Anakin. _

_ “Alright, I’ve heard enough,” spoke Br. Maranis. She stepped forward, and was looking at him affectionately, similar to how Jango was with him, but with less intensity. “You need to see a mind healer, and they will be able to help you with the trauma brought on by that. It will help with the nightmares. I’ve treated many children freed from slavery, and although they improved physically, mind healers helped them through their trauma.” Anakin looked at her with confusion, which she took as a cue to continue. “I’m referring you to a mind healer that helps children, and you will see them twice a week. Your buir is setting up the appointments, and you just need to go to the sessions.” Anakin nodded, not wanting to see what happened if he objected. He was still confused by the entire situation. He needed to gather more information. That’s what Master Obi-Wan said he did during missions. So that’s what he would do. _

* * *

_ The mind healer had a small time slot open, so Anakin was directly taken to their office after Br. Maranis finished his health check. The office was relatively sedate, and part of it reminded him of the Jedi Temple, with it being an attempt to induce calmness in its occupants. The mind healer, a soft-spoken Nautolan, was one of the stranger individuals Anakin had met. They introduced themself to Anakin and Jango as Br. Viktu Harjess, they/their/theirs, although they were told to call them Br. Vik. After the introductions, Jango went outside, to offer Anakin some privacy with Br. Vik. As Anakin stood, unsure of what he was supposed to do, Br. Vik sat down on a couch.  _

_ “So, please sit.” He gestured to the opposite couch, and Anakin sat down at the point farthest from Br. Vik. “I won’t hurt you, I’m only here to help you adjust, and through any trauma you have.” He fixed Anakin with a warm look. “Now, why do you think we’re here.” _

_ “I’m here because I told Br. Maranis and Jango that I was a slave?” Anakin shifted on the couch, becoming significantly more aware of the overstuffed couch he was sitting on. “I mean, the Jedi found me when I was six, I’ve gotten over it.” _

_ “Regardless of the amount of time passed, it was still almost seven years of your life, and that undoubtedly affected you. You’re only ten years old, that was still a significant portion of your life,” reasoned Br. Vik. “But if you don’t want to talk about that, we can talk about something else. What do you like to do for fun?” _

_ “I like to build things,” offered Anakin. At that, Br. Vik nodded. “It relaxes me, it’s relaxed me for as long as I can remember.”  _

_ “So you like to do things with your hands?” Br. Vik had noticed something few people noticed about Anakin. Out of all the Jedi, only Master Obi-Wan had noticed how Anakin seemed to be able to sink deep in the Force when he was working, as if he had been meditating, truly meditating, rather than getting a few extra hours of sleep. Only Master Obi-Wan had truly understood him, nurtured him, and protected him. Since he had been taken on as Obi-Wan’s apprentice, right when he turned nine years old, he had learned so much in the year and a half since. It made him miss Obi-Wan, feeling their bond in the Force stretched so thin it was almost like the candy floss Obi-Wan bought him in one of Coruscant’s bustling markets. But no matter how thin their bond became, Anakin would never let it break. He would get back to Master Obi-Wan, even if it was the last thing he did. _

_ “So, who are you thinking about?” Sithspit. He had forgotten about Br. Vik being in the same room.  _

_ “I was thinking about my Master.” It was as much of the truth as he was willing to divulge. As non-threatening as Br. Vik was, he was still the enemy. He was still deep in enemy territory, and surrounded by enemies. He had to keep that in mind. _

_ “Would you like to talk about them?” No. No he didn’t. Upon hearing that, Anakin turned away from the Nautolan, his eyes fixed squarely on the opposite wall. Br. Vik sighed in response. “What happens in this session is completely up to you. Would you like me to end our session early and call your buir back in?” Jango was Anakin’s kidnapper, not his father. Nobody could replace Master Obi-Wan. Anakin’s stare only intensified. Br. Vik sighed. Anakin heard the man tap several times on his datapad, and the door opened, and in stepped Jango. Great. Just what he needed. _

_ Both men conversed in rapid Mando’a, so after a while Anakin gave up trying to follow them. Instead, he looked around the office, seeing if there was something, anything useful. Of course, he found nothing. He only found toys, and children’s books. The useful things would probably be closer to the desk. He was startled out of his musings by a hand on his shoulder. Jango had gripped Anakin’s shoulder to steer him out of the office and into the hallway, since the mens’ conversation had ended.  _

_ “That wasn’t so bad, was it An’ika?” Jango looked at him with the same affection he associated with Master Obi-Wan. It was unsettling to Anakin, to have the man who was responsible for his kidnapping to be behaving in such a way.  _

_ “I don’t need a mind healer.” He was fine. He didn’t need help. _

_ “Either way, you have someone with an outside perspective to help you adjust. Br. Vik is one of the best mind healers for children.” _

_ “I don’t care.” Anakin tried to squirm out of Jango’s grip, but when that failed he settled for glaring at the man as they walked. At that, he could feel the amusement bleed from the man. “Where are we going?” _

_ “You’re not done yet. You need clothes.” Anakin glared harder at hearing that.  _

_ “My clothes are fine.” Anakin was still wearing the clothes he woke up in. There was nothing remarkable about them, but they were vaguely similar to the robes Anakin ended up in whenever he was in the Halls of Healing. _

_ “The only thing they are fine for is sleeping. We’re almost there, An’ika.”  _

_ Anakin’s clothes felt strange. The sleep clothes he could ignore. But these were unfamiliar. He was used to wearing light Jedi robes, with the soft fabric falling loose around his body. The clothes he wore were tighter, heavier, and felt just wrong. Unlike the clothes he woke up in, these were cut in a way that screamed ‘I am a Mandalorian,’ which didn’t help one bit.  _

_ At least he got to pick the colors, but even that was to a degree. All of the clothes he was offered had pure white trim, which was present wherever there was a seam. Anakin knew this was there for a reason, since having children wear white clothing was impractical, but he couldn’t figure out why. At least he didn’t have to wear different shades of brown. _

_ After he had selected ten sets of day clothes, all with the pure white trim, he selected five random sets of sleep clothes, and then changed into the clothes he was currently wearing. Through that entire time, the satisfaction in Jango only grew, with his feelings bleeding through the Force, to the point that it was almost suffocating Anakin. Which, come to think about it now, was quite fitting, considering Anakin's situation. _

* * *

_ After that, Anakin was escorted back to the wing he woke up in. It somehow felt brighter in the Force, and was brightly colored, more so than the other areas he had been in. However, before they entered the wing, Jango stopped Anakin. He turned Anakin to face him, and knelt down, his dark, serious eyes meeting Anakin’s bright blue ones. _

_ “I know that right now, everything seems unfamiliar to you. But that will change.” Like that was going to happen, thought Anakin. “The Jetiise will not have another adiik to use. You are not a slave, you are not fighting a war you know nothing about. I know there will be a lot of changes, but you will only need to make some minor adjustments. It is only inevitable. However, you will need to at least try to be good to your teachers. Do you understand me?” Anakin only glared back. “We’re not moving until you respond to me, An’ika.” Anakin continued to glare at Jango, while the man peered at him in a way that Anakin could not identify.  _

_ A small tendril of fear crept into Anakin’s mind. He remembered the free children he encountered on Tatooine, whose parents were nothing like his mother, or Obi-Wan. Parents that would treat their children like the Hutts treated their slaves. What would the man who kidnapped him do if he didn’t comply with his demands? Anakin didn’t want to find out. He nodded slowly, and felt the man’s satisfaction in the Force swell. Standing back up, he escorted Anakin back to the Togruta woman who he first encountered. After speaking to her in rapid Mando’a, he turned back to Anakin.  _

_ “Be good, An’ika.” And with that, Jango finally left, leaving him alone. Well, not totally alone. _

_ “Hello Anakin.” She looked at him warmly, slightly reminiscent of Master Ti back at the Jedi Temple. “I’m Adat’juri Malli Nima, she/her/hers. But you can just call me Adat’juri Nima.” Anakin tilted his head in confusion. _

_ “Adat’juri means teacher. Do you want to introduce yourself to me?” _

_ “I’m Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker, he/him/his.” Anakin emphasized the fact that he was a Jedi Padawan. He wasn't a Mandalorian, no matter what they said. _

_ “It’s nice to meet you, Anakin. Before you start lessons, you do need to take a few tests, and unpack. It won’t take very long, I promise.” _

_ The tests weren’t so bad. They assessed his ability to read, write, do math, and a few other things. When Anakin first came to the Jedi Temple, he had to take similar tests. But these tests involved only academics, which was strange. After that, he had been brought to his new room, which was similar to his room back at the Jedi Temple, with the only difference being that he had his own ‘fresher. In his opinion, it was a very nice jail cell. Adat’juri Nima helped him put away his clothes, as if he couldn’t do it himself. _

_ Currently, he was with a group of new foundings, and glaring at a Mando’a vocabulary worksheet. He had bigger things to do. Like escaping. The classroom he was in had children who were younger than him, but also children who were older than him. Not unlike his youngling clan when he was an Initiate. There were teachers throughout the room, instructing kids on what he assumed was Mando’a. There was no way he would be able to slip out, with the amount of adults in the room. He looked back down at his worksheet. There were greetings, mixed with items, with images he was told to color in, and then copy the word and its meaning below. Something Anakin found completely mind-numbing. He sighed, and began to color the first image. Doing the work he was assigned didn’t make him a Mandalorian. He just had to bide his time, and wait for an opportunity to escape. _

* * *

Obi-Wan had meditated all night. Or at least through the entire night cycle. How was he supposed to sleep, with everything that had happened during a mere 24 hours. He had been sedated for Force knows how long and his supposedly dead padawan was alive, and a Mandalorian. He shook his head at that. Anakin isn’t a Mandalorian. There had been rumors of the Mandalorian Empire forcibly recruiting citizens and brainwashing them. If there was one thing he was certain about, it was that Anakin had been brainwashed. He had to escape, and this time he wasn’t going to leave Anakin behind. Not again. 

After a while, the main door opened again. Obi-Wan tensed, a small part of him hoping that it wasn’t Anakin. He hadn’t meditated nearly enough, to be able to process everything. But instead of Anakin entering, a Mandalorian in red and blue armor stepped in, with their hand inching toward their holstered blaster. Obi-Wan looked at them with confusion.

“Out in the hallway.” Alright then. Perhaps he could find a way for them to escape. Obi-Wan quickly fastened his boots, and went out into the long hallway. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy. There was a long chain gang, with different species, led by another Mandalorian in green armor. They looked him over, and Obi-Wan felt increasingly worried. However, instead of hurting him, as he had escaped, a third Mandalorian grabbed one of his hands. This Mandalorian was also in green armor, but with gold accents. Obi-Wan still didn’t have enough information nor strength to even try to escape three Mandalorians, so he let them use a stick-like object to connect the two cuffs together with ropes of energy, and then connect them to the rest of the chain gang. After making sure that his cuffs were secure, they continued through the hallway. 

It appeared that he was the only Force-sensitive, since they continued out of the hallway and into what appeared to be some kind of lecture hall. After they all were herded into the room, Obi-Wan heard the door they entered through close and get locked. At the front of the room was another being, who appeared to be a Theelin standing behind a podium. They were neither wearing armor nor chained like them. They nodded at the chain gang’s leader, who promptly pushed several buttons on their gauntlet, which dissolved the ropes of energy connecting everyone and their cuffs.

“Take a seat. My name is Phas Wudo, she/her/hers, and I will be your primary instructor.” They were using the same tone that Obi-Wan used when teaching clans of initiates, that he primarily used with  _ younglings _ . So this was how things are going to play out. After he sat down, he heard a yell from across the room. 

“You think I’ll listen to a Theelin bitch like you? You’ve got another thing coming you-” The Karkodon in their group, who had been audibly growling since Obi-Wan had gotten into the hallway, and likely longer than that, appeared to be trying to threaten Wudo. However, it didn’t take being a Jedi to realize that that probably wasn’t the smartest of ideas. The leader of the chain gang, who had been standing near Wudo, pointed their blaster directly at the Karkodon’s chest.

“You want to rethink what you’re saying?” Clearly, the Karkodon did not, as they raised their arm, and moved to attack the Mandalorian. In an instant, they were writhing on the floor, having been shot with an electric current. At least now he knew that their blasters only shot electric bolts, rather than anything lethal. Phas Wudo sighed, and began rummaging in the podium.

“In our Empire, any and all species are welcome. If you still need to learn this, then you will need private, remedial lessons before you are ready to learn more about our culture.” This time she sounded like a crèchemaster reprimanding their charges. It seemed slightly creepy, how utterly blase she seemed, acting as if there  _ wasn’t _ a being spasming in front of her. Pulling a syringe from the podium, she quickly and skillfully injected the Karkodon with it. She had clearly done that multiple times. “Well, as I am sure you all have noticed, not cooperating is ill-advised, given your situation.” Now Wudo sounded amused, as if she found her amusement in watching them resist. Is this what happened to Anakin? How much had he resisted, tried to escape, before they broke him? Obi-Wan felt sick. 

“At this time, all of you have seen a medic, and gotten clothes. Today, we’ll go through the basics of the Integration Program, and help you get your accounts set up, and begin your first Mando’a and culture class.” 

That sounded fun. This was just great. He listened to Wudo, deciding to actually pay attention to her. Maybe he would learn something important. He just didn’t want to think about his situation, didn’t want to think of Anakin in the same situation. He couldn’t picture his little padawan, being in his place.

Pretty soon, he had an account set up, which would allow him to access the datapads in his room, along with several other things. It seemed quite useful, until Obi-Wan realized that several parts of his account were blocked, since he was in an Integration program. He sighed, putting down his datapad and looking around.

“Psst. Hey, Jedi.” The Mirialan sitting next to him poked him. “All of this is insane. How’d they get you?”

“I was on a diplomatic mission. They attacked our ship while we were in hyperspace. What about you?” Obi-Wan didn’t mention what Anakin had mentioned. That they had attacked Senator Amidala’s ship because he was there. That everything that had happened to their mission was his fault.

“My mercenary company walked into a trap on Fest. I was the only one who got out, or so I thought. I have no idea what happened to everyone else, I don’t see them here. We need to get out of here.” She seemed very determined, perhaps they could escape together.

“Agreed. My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi, he/him/his. And you are?”

“Wenuve Sanmyr, she/her/hers. ” They were startled by hearing Phas Wudo clear her throat at the front of the room.

“I understand that this is all very unfamiliar. All of you come from very different lives, but it is important to understand that all of you are Mandalorian now. This all may seem different to all of you, but you all will integrate. That is inevitable. It will only take a few minor adjustments on your part.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this took longer than expected to post. These last two weeks have been really busy for me, since I start college this fall and have some more work on top of that. I don't really have an update schedule, since how much I write depends on how busy I am. However, I also began outlining a sort-of sequel to this, which is an Anidala fic for the most part (It picks up later in this fic, and deals with the ramifications of the Mandalorian Empire attacking one of Naboo's diplomatic ships. I'm wondering if that sounds like a good fic, since rather than being pure integration, there's a healthy amount of political intrigue and deception, with a dash of Rebel!Padme (I've already fleshed out an outline for this, but idk if I should post it). Either way, thanks for reading!!
> 
> Mando'a Translations:  
> Adat'juri - Teacher  
> Adiik - Child aged 3-13 years old  
> An'ika - Little Ani (nickname)  
> Baar'ur - Healer (shortened to Br. as Doctor is shortened to Dr.)  
> Buir - Parent  
> Jetiise - Republic or Multiple Jedi)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope I did everything justice, and I hope you all liked it! 
> 
> Translations:  
> Buir - parent  
> Jetti - Jedi  
> Jettise - Jedi (plural)/Republic  
> Ad'ika - little one  
> Elek - yes  
> Ret' - Bye!


End file.
